The papain superfamily member bleomycin hydrolase (BLMH) is a cytoplasmic cysteine peptidase that is highly conserved through evolution. The only known activity of the enzyme is metabolic inactivation of the glycopeptide bleomycin (BLM), an essential component of combination chemotherapy regimens for cancer. The papain superfamily member bleomycin hydrolase (BLMH) is a neutral cysteine protease with structural similarity to a 20S proteasome. Bleomycin (BLM), a clinically used glycopeptide anticancer agent. BLMH is an essential protectant against BLM-induced death and has an important role in neonatal survival and in maintaining epidermal integrity. Sequencing revealed several putative sites phosphorylated by different types of protein kinases, but no signal sequence, transmembrane domain, N-linked glycosylation site or DNA-binding motif.